


out of bounds

by paravin



Series: less fight, more spark [2]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Casual Sex, Gen, Past Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29723640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paravin/pseuds/paravin
Summary: While learning about his past self’s misdeeds, Crow also gets filled in on Uldren’s recreational activities with some inhabitants of the Tower.
Relationships: The Crow & Glint (Destiny)
Series: less fight, more spark [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194056
Comments: 28
Kudos: 53





	out of bounds

**Author's Note:**

> this is extremely stupid, I apologise. also I am not tagging for every single pairing referenced in this so please just assume Uldren/everyone happened at some point.
> 
> also god, this is my 20th fic for this fandom, so slightly lengthier note ahead:  
> — I will hopefully branch out to some proper Uldren fic (Uldren/Jolyon? Uldren/Petra?) soon instead of just this idiocy  
> — I’ve corralled some of my existing fic into a couple of series (one for [gen hurt/comfort](https://archiveofourown.org/series/2180733), and one for [Crow/Osiris/Saint](https://archiveofourown.org/series/2180688)). not all fics fit in there but given that I’ve written like 60k in the last couple of months, I wanted to try to make things easier to read  
> — if anyone has any prompts for other Crow ships, please feel free to suggest, otherwise I’m going to be out here writing like. Crow/Tess Everis pwps  
> — thank you so much to everyone who’s been reading/kudosing/commenting on my nonsense for the past month or so - I am hugely enjoying playing in this sandbox and am v grateful for the support

“There’s something else you should know about Uldren.”

Crow’s shoulders slump. It took him a while but he picked up most of the key points of his past life on his own: murdering the Hunter vanguard, unleashing the Scorn on the Reef, setting in motion the events which led to the curse on the Dreaming City. Each new revelation left him sick with grief and self-doubt, and so while he appreciates Saint and Osiris filling in some of the additional blanks, including his history with the Black Garden and the Eliksni, it hasn’t exactly been the most enjoyable morning so far.

“It’s a minor point, in comparison,” Osiris continues, “but you did ask to be fully informed.”

Crow looks past Osiris to where the whiteboard is already covered with details of his past self’s exploits. “ _More_ crimes?”

“No more crimes,” Saint reassures him. “I think we have covered all the big ones, at least.”

“This is more personal,” Osiris says. “Before his descent into madness, Uldren had a number of, uh, relationships.”

Crow blinks, lost.

“With people here in the Tower,” Osiris adds. “Brief, intimate relationships.”

Crow’s eyes go wide.

“I…”

“ _He_ ,” Glint says firmly. “You didn’t do any of that. You weren’t even alive then.”

“I thought—” Crow starts and then stops. This is a lot to process. “Doesn’t everyone hate him? Why would they…”

“It was only after he killed Cayde that he became truly hated,” Osiris says. “In the Tower, at least; I can’t speak for the Awoken. But prior to that, things were more complicated. Less black and white.”

Crow frowns, still trying to deal with this new revelation. “Was he nice back then?”

“No, he was insufferable,” Osiris says without hesitation. “Unfortunately, that seems to have been part of his appeal.”  


———

  
“I don’t understand.”

Snagging one of Drifter’s snacks, Crow takes a bite as he leans against the railing. It’s cheesy. 

Across the annex, Drifter doesn’t look up from where he’s counting out glimmer. “What’s not to understand? The old you banged his way through half the Tower. I can respect it. Now stop eating my food.”

Crow finishes off the cheesy ball without remorse. “Aren’t you supposed to _like_ the people you sleep with?”

“Nah,” Drifter says. “Not everyone’s wired like your two bird pals. Sometimes you need a little hatred to get the blood pumping.”

Crow wrinkles his nose. “Just when I thought I couldn’t dislike the man I used to be any more than I already do.”

On the table, the glimmer is divided into two piles and on Drifter’s whistle, Glint flits over to collect Crow’s share. While Crow was initially offended by Drifter offering bets on which Guardians would try to kill him and whether they would succeed, he’s come around to the idea now that he gets a cut. He didn’t know people underestimating him could be so profitable.

“He wasn’t all bad,” Drifter says with a shrug.

“He was a murderer,” Crow points out.

Drifter waves a hand in a dismissal. “Used to cheat at cards too. Still pretty great in the sack though.”

Crow does a double-take. “Wait, what?”

“Honestly I was kind of expecting some ‘spoiled prince’ shit but the dude really put in the work.”

“You slept with me?!”

Drifter frowns, reaching over to grab a helping of cheese snacks. “Not you. Old you. The prince.” He takes a bite and says with his mouth full, “I thought that was why you were here?”

Crow scrubs a hand over his face. It feels somehow more embarrassing to admit that he came here because he was certain that Drifter was one of the people his past self hadn’t slept with. “I thought you weren’t even in the Tower back then.”

“Oh, I wasn’t,” Drifter says. “Let’s just say we both went exploring in some of the same places back in the day.”

Crow isn’t sure whether that’s intended as a euphemism but it feels like one. He doesn’t like it.

“Please don’t tell me any more,” he says, holding a hand up. “I just… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with this. The atrocities, I can deal with, eventually, but the sex?”

Drifter stuffs another cheese ball in his mouth. “You could ask people if they wanted another round? Compare and contrast, y’know?”

Crow groans and makes for the exit. “I’m leaving.”

Drifter’s shout is muffled by his food but echoes out into the hallway anyway. “Just a suggestion!”  


———

  
Crow doesn’t intend to talk to Ikora. They’ve given each other a wide berth at the Tower, which Crow can understand, but when he stops to collect himself in the bazaar, she speaks before he can escape, “Crow. Osiris told me you might stop by.”

Crow is almost one hundred percent sure Ikora never slept with his past self. 

_Almost._

“I, uh, was just passing through,” he says, lamely. He clears his throat. “What did Osiris say?”

Ikora looks at him with sympathy. “He said you’re having trouble coming to terms with what Uldren did.”

Crow exhales. “That’s one way of phrasing it.”

Ikora nods. “You’re here to ask about Cayde?”

It’s almost closer to a statement than a question, and Crow gives a little shrug in response. It’s been unpleasant enough reckoning with his sexual history; maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to focus on his criminal record instead for a while.

“I’m sorry,” he says, “for what he did. I know you and Cayde were close.”

“Thank you,” Ikora says. “As difficult as it may be sometimes, what happened with Uldren Sov wasn’t your fault. I know that.” She pauses, lips pressed together as she finds the words. “Cayde sometimes took risks that Zavala and I didn’t necessarily agree with.”

“I don’t think it was his fault,” Crow says. “From what I’ve been told, Uldren planned it. Cayde was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Ikora’s smile is empty. “I wish I could say it was the first time that happened. He had a habit of getting himself into awkward situations. I just wish it hadn’t been so…”

“Brutal,” Crow finishes. He’s seen the footage — Glint even pulled the medical reports of the aftermath. He knows what he was responsible for.

“I was going to say public,” Ikora says, frowning. “It was the talk of the Tower for months afterwards.”

Crow flounders. “I mean, he was the hunter Vanguard, right? It’s not like you could hide his death.”

“His death?” Ikora’s eyebrows shoot up, and both she and Crow speak at the same time. “What were you-”

“Is that not what-”

Crow falls silent, embarrassed. From the way Ikora’s regal bearing falters slightly, he isn’t the only one finding this excruciating.

“I was referring to Cayde’s dalliance with Uldren Sov,” Ikora says carefully. “It was years ago now but caused quite a stir at a formal event. Osiris said- I thought you’d been made aware.”

“Oh.” Crow didn’t know it was possible to feel any worse about something involving Cayde but every day brings new experiences. “I, uh- I’m sorry? For that.”

“It wasn’t you,” Ikora says, more kindly than Crow probably deserves. “Although if it helps, I’m happy to pretend it never happened.”

“ _Please._ ” Crow nearly goes to his knees in gratitude. “Thank you.”

Ikora eyes him with caution. “I never know how much of people’s personalities carry over on resurrection but if you ever feel the urge to have sex in a maintenance closet during a diplomatic mission, I suggest you do your best to resist it.”

Crow nods fervently. “Yes, ma’am. No closet sex. Got it.”  


———

  
The upper level of the Tower is blessedly quiet without Lord Saladin’s presence and Crow lets his feet dangle over the edge as he looks out at the City below. At some point, he knows he’ll have to figure out if his previous self slept with Saladin too but he decides that’s a problem for another day.

The fading sunlight catches on Glint’s shell as he bobs in front of Crow’s face. “That could’ve gone worse.”

“Oh, sure,” Crow says, with a generous helping of sarcasm, “I love humiliating myself in front of Vanguard command.”

“Zavala seemed just as embarrassed as you were,” Glint says helpfully. “Anyway, that one wasn’t really past-you’s fault. Like Zavala said, there was only one bed. I hear things just _progress_ in that kind of situation.”

Crow covers his eyes. “Glint, please stop talking.”

He can hear Glint’s shell rotating as he figures out a way to continue talking. 

“I’m just trying to help,” Glint says eventually. “Think about it this way: the Last City is a really big place. It may feel like a lot at the moment but only a really tiny fraction of the population have seen you naked.”

“Glint!”

Pulling his legs up, Crow hides his face against his knees. Rationally, he knows he’s dealt with far worse than a little shame but also if the Traveler decided to magic him out of existence right that second, he thinks he probably wouldn’t complain. “I didn’t even consider the naked part of it.”

“Oh,” Glint says, remorseful, but Crow freezes when a different voice booms up from below him.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Guardian!”

Raising his head, Crow exchanges a look of horror with Glint but Shaxx continues on happily, “As far as I recall, Uldren had a very respectable physique. Some nice shoulder markings.”

Crow closes his eyes but it’s Glint who takes the initiative. Floating down to where Shaxx is waiting below them, he asks, loud enough for Crow to hear, “I thought you had relations with his sister? The Queen?”

“Oh, yes,” Shaxx says proudly. “She was magnificent. Killed me a few times back in the day but we formed a good rapport after a while.”

“And her brother?”

“He was an imbecile,” Shaxx admits, “but had a certain charm to him sometimes.” His voice gets louder as he calls up to Crow, “I don’t think anyone misses him if that’s what you’re worried about!”

Crow looks up at the Traveler for salvation. None comes.

“Okay, well, that’s been very helpful, Lord Shaxx,” Glint says. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, ghost!” Shaxx calls back as Glint rises back up to Crow’s perch. 

Looking down at the City, Crow wonders whether throwing himself to his death would be an improvement on his current situation.

“Don’t you even think about it,” Glint says sternly. “I am not reviving you just because your past self couldn’t keep it in his pants.” 

He hovers, pondering. “Wait, do you think the red pants had something to do with it? They were very striking…”  


———

  
It’s dark by the time Crow and Glint make it back to Osiris’ place.

While the HELM is comfortable enough, especially compared to Crow’s quarters with Spider, there’s something to be said for having a soft bed. Fortunately, the bed in Osiris’ spare room is extremely soft and Crow honestly feels like he deserves it after the day he’s had. 

(When asked how Osiris had managed to get an apartment with a spare room, Saint had ruefully explained that Zavala hadn’t fully understood the nature of Saint and Osiris’ relationship when he was assigning accommodation. He blamed it mostly on him calling Osiris ‘brother’ too many times.)

He hears hushed voices inside as he unlocks the door. Shrugging his cloak off, Crow keeps his footsteps quiet at the hint of irritation in Saint’s voice. “-as well?”

“It was one time!” Osiris counters. “You were dead at the time — it hardly counts.”

“It is not me being dead that is the problem,” Saint says. “I did not think your taste in partners was that bad!”

A horrible realisation begins to dawn and Crow stays frozen in place in the hallway when Osiris says, annoyed, “You never even met Uldren Sov!”

“I don’t need to!” Saint argues. “We have a whiteboard full of his crimes! And you said earlier he was insufferable.”

Osiris hisses out a breath through clenched teeth. Crow decides he is too tired to deal with this conversation today and makes a stealthy beeline for the spare room.

“Osiris too?” Glint whispers as they go. 

“Apparently.”

Glint lets out a low, impressed beep which Crow has come to recognise as the ghost version of a whistle. 

Easing the bedroom door closed behind him, he fixes Glint with a scowl. “What was that for?”

“Nothing!” Glint says, blinking innocently. “Past-you was just very accomplished, that’s all.” His flaps wiggle as he rises in the air. “Maybe you should pick up some tips?”

Flopping face down onto the bed, Crow buries his head in the pillow. “I hate this.”

Glint’s shell bumps against the back of his head in a rough approximation of a pat and he says with sympathy, “It’s okay. I’m sure it won’t come up again.” 

The pillow sinks a little as Glint settles next to Crow’s face. “I wouldn’t worry,” he says earnestly, “I think all the murder really outweighs all the sex.”


End file.
